


Endings

by Saanak



Category: Annihilation (2018 Garland), Annihilation (2018), Annihilation - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Mentions of Self-Harming, mentions of characters' death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 03:52:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14072304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saanak/pseuds/Saanak
Summary: Somehow, their deaths fit them. Anya dies fighting a monster. Josie embraces her own ending. One goes gruesomely, the other one quietly. But before that, they were there for one another.





	Endings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MufasaTheChill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MufasaTheChill/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Annihilation-Evolution](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/366018) by Maryne. 



> So I've always been a fan of Maryne's art and she posted a pretty cool drawing of those 2 a few days ago and I couldn't find any fic so...

Anya doesn’t notice Josie’s scars at first. The girl keeps to herself, quite discrete. They may have communal showers but Josie’s never there when there is someone else.

She notices the girl despite, or maybe because of, her quietness, and wonders what makes someone so brilliant so calm. She’s met post-doctorates before and they’re rarely shy on their accomplishments.

But Josie doesn’t brag; and almost doesn’t talk at all. That doesn’t stop the both of them to get along quite well, and to also get along with Cassie. They’re probably the people Anya likes the most in the entire base. The fact that they never commented on her no-alcohol-drinking rule helps, but they’re also scientists, so necessarily more interesting than a bunch of soldiers. 

A few days before Lena’s arrival, Anya wakes up at 4am, and realizes she can’t go back to sleep. Way too stressed. She figures the showers will be blissfully calm and empty at such an hour, and decides to start her day earlier than usual.

Josie’s exiting just as Anya enters. The physicist is wearing a tank top, her arms bare for the first time since Anya’s met her.  
The scars on her left arm seem old, fully healed. Anya doesn’t let her eyes linger, instead meeting Josie’s eyes. 

“Sorry” Anya stammers. 

“For what?” comes the amused, yet surprised, question.

“I mean, I almost walked straight into you! Not that any part of me could ever do something straight, but, you know”

Josie’s smiling. A tiny, shy thing, but it’s the prettiest thing Anya has seen in a long time.

“That’s quite alright.” She seems to hesitate. “I must have assaulted your eyes with those”, she adds, hiding her scars with her right hand.

“Oh, no! Not at all!” After a beat, “you know, paramedic and all.” It’s not a complete lie. Only she’s rarely seen self-harming in the hospitals where she worked, and much more in the company of those with who she used all sorts of products. But it’s neither the time nor the place for this kind of discussion. Given the small amount of time they have before leaving for the Shimmer, it probably never will be the time or place. She’s okay with that. Mostly.

They stare at each other for a while. Josie finally admits “I’m glad you’re not disgusted by them”.

And Anya, who’s usually so good at not being impulsive when sober, reaches for Josie’s arm. “They’re a part of you, why would I be disgusted?”

She feels the muscles under her thumb contract, then relax. But Josie doesn’t meet her eyes. Anya releases her grasp on the scarred forearm and let her hand slide to Josie’s own hand.

“I mean it”, Anya insists. She needs Josie to know she doesn’t care. She’s pretty sure there are scars elsewhere, in less easily-seen places, and she still doesn’t care.

"I'm glad I met you", Josie declares, "even given the circumstances."

"Me too"

OoOoOoOoO

Somehow, their deaths fit them. Anya dies fighting a monster. Josie embraces her own ending. One goes gruesomely, the other one quietly. But before that, they were there for each other.


End file.
